I think I enjoy the cooking more than eating, there is nothing better than to watch the smile grow after someone’s first bite. Note from Steve: I am a flow of thought writer and apologize up front if I lose you. My family is used to it.

Menu

Month: March 2016

We have been dying to make chili for sometime now but just never seemed to get around to it. So yesterday we grabbed some ground sirloin, dried beans and diced tomatoes. One can was regular the other fire roasted, not sure if it was planned or just happen to get mixed up either way it works for me. We had read that you don’t have to soak the beans but the old ways stick in your head. This morning Lyn got out of the shower and the smell of chili had risen to the second floor, ya I start my Sunday cooking early.

This was kind of a cook from the gut recipe

Ingredients:

2 cups dry pinto beans (soaked overnight)

1 tablespoon chili powder

3/4 tablespoon Cumin powder

2 can diced green Chiles

2 cans diced tomato

1 small onion diced

2 glove garlic

1 lb course ground sirloin

diced jalapeño to your liking.

Instructions:

Brown ground chuck and allow to caramelize using Sautee mode. Remove and drain

Deglaze pan with can of diced tomatoes.

Add meat, beans and all other ingredients in Instantpot and set for Chili/ Beans

After first cycle in the beans setting check your seasonings then reset the Instantpot for the beans cycle again.

Like this:

Again Lyn loves the white meat and I love Lyn so when we saw this nice little boneless turkey breast at Whole Foods we grabbed it.

I made a quick brine or smoked seat salt, some natural sugar that Lyn had in pantry and water let it sit for a few hours – I just guessed at this part.

Dried it off and browned all sides under Sautee setting. I’m still getting used to it but I don’t like this setting don’t think it gets hot enough but you do get those brown bits on the bottom of the pan.

Remember is browning something make sure it has been patted dry or you’ll lower the temperature of the pan or just steam it.

I put the steam rake in and added a cup of broth then put the breast in.

Sealed it and pushed the poultry button. ( Sorry I can’t remember if I added the time or not.

It came out pretty moist, tender and have to admit pretty good in fact I have some diced in my salad today.

Like this:

I’m such a brisket nut that the first thing I made in our new Instant Pot was a BBQ flat cut brisket. When you cook brisket one of the best things is after a few hours coming back into the house and being taken over by the aroma. Well with the Instant pot you start to get that aroma in maybe 5-10 minutes and it is torture, your stomach starts to tell you Hey! I’m Hungry already FEED ME! I like the fact that with this new toy it does not take long before it is done and ready to eat. The only thing with this recipe was the liquid smoke, although adding that BBQ flavor and smell it was the smell that linger for almost a week. A good and bad thing. I felt like I was walking into a BBQ restaurant which in my mind is pretty much heaven. Anyway……

Remove the brisket from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before cooking. Pat it dry with paper towels and set it aside.

Mix the spice blend by combining the maple sugar, smoked sea salt, pepper, mustard powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika. Coat the meat generously on all sides. The rub will get a bit sticky due to the sugar.

Set your Instant Pot to “Sauté” and allow it to heat up for 2-3 minutes. Grease the bottom with a bit of high heat cooking oil and add the brisket. Brown on all sides until deeply golden but not burnt. Turn the brisket to fatty side up and add the broth, liquid smoke, and thyme to the Instant Pot. Scrape the browned bits off the bottom and cover with the lid.

Switch the setting to “Manual” and increase the cook time to 50 minutes. Once finished, allow the Instant Pot to release steam on it’s own (EDIT: I’ve found that using the quick release valve can leave large, leaner cuts of meat tasting a little dry). Remove the brisket from the pot and cover it with foil to rest. Switch the Instant Pot to “Saute” again to reduce & thicken the sauce (optional) with the lid off for about 10 minutes.

Slice the brisket on a bias and serve it with your favorite whipped veg (this recipe for Creamy Whipped Parsnips shown here) and drizzle with the reduced sauce.

*Notes:

-Make sure you find a liquid smoke that has no additives or MSG. You can skip the liquid smoke but you’ll get a more subtle smoke flavor.

-With a bit of experimentation, I’ve found that increasing or decreasing your meat size by ½ lb. (when the meat is kept whole and not chopped up) requires about a 10 minute change in cooking time. For example, 1 lb. needs about 40 minutes, where 2 lb. needs about 60 minutes. The nice thing about the Instant Pot is that it’s quick and easy to throw the lid back on and add another 10 minutes, as needed.

-If using a slow cooker, brown the brisket in a saute pan before adding it to your slow cooker. Add the broth to the saute pan to deglaze and grab all the flavor from the browned bits. Then pour the broth straight into the slow cooker, along with the liquid smoke and thyme. Cook on “Low” for 6-8 hours or until the meat is tender and slices easily.

First with Lyn’s guidance I season some heated oil with some onion and garlic powder

To the heated pressure cooker add the olive oil and onion.

Add the tomato puree, salt and water basil, parsley and mix well (leave the heat/sauté’ mode on).

Move the bowl with the meat mixture next to the pressure cooker and start making meatballs

If you’re not handy at making them the same size you can use a tablespoon to measure the quantity of meat for each meatball. I like to use a medium size ice cream scoop rounded.

I used my regular meatball recipe Rose’s Meatballs but instead of Italian bread crumbs I used season oak bran. I also have cut that recipe down to 1 eggs per pound so this was 3 pounds and I had larger eggs so I used 2 eggs.

As you make each meatball, drop them into the sauce. To get them in an even layer drop them in clockwise, then fill the center and start again with the second layer until you run out of meatball mixture – there is no need for precision here.

Close and lock the lid of the pressure cooker

Cook for 5 minutes at high pressure. When the cooker indicates it has reached high pressure it begins counting 5 minutes pressure cooking time. When time is up it will go to keep warm, you can hit cancel and let it naturally release the pressure about 10 minutes., Then, release the rest of the pressure slowly using the valve.

When we tested and compared the oven method was slightly drier but then I usually finish in the sauce so I think it was about the same after I let them sit in sauce. What do you think Lyn.

Ok I did not cook this melt in your mouth delicious entre, Lyn did and for the, as she put it, and it only took 15 minutes to cook. Man this was good especially where I am the thigh lover not as crazy about the breast meat, too dry for me although we do eat a fair amount. Also none of my pictures I borrowed Jennifer Robins.

Ingredients:

1-2 pounds chicken breasts or thighs

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 onion, diced

1 tablespoon avocado oil, lard, or ghee

5 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup organic chicken broth or homemade

1 teaspoon dried parsley

1/4 teaspoon paprika (omit for AIP)

1/4 cup white cooking wine (omit for AIP)

1 large lemon juiced (or more to taste)

3-4 teaspoons (or more) arrowroot flour

Turn your Instant Pot onto the saute feature and place in the diced onion and cooking fat

Cook the onions for 5-10 minutes or until softened. You can also choose to cook until they start to brown

Add in the remaining ingredients except for the arrowroot flour and secure the lid on your Instant Pot

Select the “Poultry” setting and make sure your steam valve is closed

Allow cook time to complete, release steam valve to vent and then carefully remove lid

At this point you may thicken your sauce by making a slurry. To do this remove about 1/4 cup sauce from the pot, add in the arrowroot flour, and then reintroduce the slurry into the remaining liquid

Lyn got a new toy and I have to say at first I figured it was going to be one on those use a couple of times and put on the top shelf. Well I kind of like it and have cooked a few things here is the 3rd thing we tried in our new Instant Pot.

Oh, I found a great cooking time chart: http://instantpot.com/cooking-time/ of course depending on the weight the times might be slightly different. Below called for 20 minutes but I had ½ pound more so I added a couple of minutes.(just a guess)

Anyway this was great as was pretty much everything else I made will post later.

Ingredients

2.5 pound Center Cut Pork Loin – more of a center cut pork loin raost

2 tablespoon olive oil

2 cup Hard Cider (can use regualr cider if you want)

1 Medium onion, sliced

2 Apples, cored and sliced

1 tablespoon Sea Salt

1 tablespoon Freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon Minced dry onion

Directions

Season the pork loin with salt, pepper and minced dry onions.

Place the inner pot in the cooker. Place the olive oil in the inner pot. Press Sautee button sear the pork loin on all sides. Remove and set aside.

Sauté the onions.

Add the remaining ingredients and the pork loin.

Place the lid on the Instant Pot, lock the lid and switch the pressure release valve to closed.

Press the CANCEL button.

Press the meat button and then TIME ADJUSTMENT to 22 minutes.

Once the timer reaches 0, the cooker will automatically switch to KEEP WARM. Press the CANCEL Button. Switch the pressure release valve to open. When the steam is completely released, remove the lid.

I placed the fat side up under broiler to crisp the fat a little, ended up cutting the fat off it was a big chunk.

Instant Pot is the latest 3rd Generation Programmable Pressure Cooker designed by Canadians with the objectives of being Safe, Convenient and Dependable. It speeds up cooking by 2~6 times using up to 70% less energy, and, above all, produces nutritious healthy food in a convenient and consistent fashion.

If you live a fast-paced, health-oriented and green-conscious life style, Instant Pot is designed specifically for you.

Instant Pot is manufactured by the No.1 electric pressure cooker factory which has produced over 50 million units already in household use worldwide. The benefits of Instant Pot can be summarized in five aspects.